😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  My child, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. 

Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

I’ve been working through the Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz.  A few days ago, we read through the above passage, Proverbs 4:20-27.  It really caught my attention.  How are you hearing those words? 

Pay attention to Me.  You need to listen to Me.

OR

My Love, I have something dear to My heart that I want to share with you.

You must do exactly as I say.  It’s a matter of life or death.

OR

You will want to treasure what I share with you and refer to them often.  They will be a source of life and health in your days.

Build a wall around your heart and don’t let anyone in.

OR

From your heart, all that is within you will flow and be made know, therefore be ready to protect your heart when threats arise.

You need to talk and speak only the way I tell you to.

OR

You don’t need to use foul language to get your point across.  The clarity of your words will bring enlightenment and understanding.

Put blinders on, so you can’t see what else is out there in the world.

OR

Many distractions will try to draw you down darkened paths, but I’m directly ahead of you.  Focus on the light and walk with Me.

You have two choices, My way or the highway.  Don’t get hit by an 18-wheeler.

OR

There are many paths out there and you are free to choose the paths you want to travel.  Know that I will be with you always, no matter which path you choose. 

There will be consequences when you cross the line, so you best not even look to the right or left.

OR

Always remember, the fastest way back to your loving Father is a straight line.  Be watchful of the evil that approaches from your sides and make wise choices.

In your mind, with this passage, do you hear words from someone trying to control you or someone who genuinely cares for you and wants what’s best for you?

God loves you and only wants the best for you.  Open your heart to Him.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#BibleInAYear – Fr. Mike Schmitz

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  God had me smiling this week as I thought about how He quietly works on us in the background and then waits for us to respond.  In the last quarter of 2025, our family of parishes ran a campaign.  As with most, our minds typically think a campaign mean someone is asking for money, but not so with this one.  Spread out over multiple weeks, we took a look at what we are involved with at the parishes, introductions to the ministries within our family of parishes, prayer for discernment, and the opportunity to submit a commitment card with our intention for involvement within the parishes for 2026. 

As I looked at the opportunities, some were interesting, but I kept coming back to one question…”Is this something I would be committed to?  I ended up not turning in a commitment card, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t committed.  Discernment can take time.

One Wednesday during Advent, I was at a friend’s parish for a women’s event.  In the background we could hear the choir preparing for Christmas Mass.  They sounded beautiful.  The joyful hymns at Christmas Mass are one of my favorite things to experience.  I turned to my friend and told her I wanted to enjoy the sounds of the choir as much as I could, because we don’t have a choir at our church, so we won’t have the typical Christmas songs experience.  And then I said…”I know, I know.  If I want something to change, I need to be willing to make a change.”

A few Sundays ago, I spoke with the organist at our parish.  I told her that I’ve been thinking about where I think I’m being called within our parish.  I asked her if she would be interested and willing to have a choir.  After a bit of discussion, she said yes, if I would organize it. 

Our parish is pretty small.  We only have around 67 registered families.  I didn’t know what kind of response we might receive when we put the choir invitation out at our pancake breakfast after Mass last Sunday.  We had 7 people sign up and they seemed to be very excited with this opportunity.  In speaking with some of them, it turns out that we have some professional signers and musicians. 

Plans and discussions are in the works and practices will begin shortly.  At this point, I think our goal will be to have Easter Sunday as our first official Mass.  I’m really excited about this.  And yes, this is something I’m willing to be committed to. 

The power of an invitation can be a mighty force indeed.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#ZachWilliams – Old Church Choir

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Driving home from Adoration Monday evening, my mind wandered to meeting people and things you ask, to get to know them.  You know, ice breaker kind of questions.  One question that crossed my mind was, “What are your hidden talents?”  I started thinking, “What talents do I have that most people that know me, don’t know about?” 

My mind then drifted to the Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30.  Verse 18 states, “But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.” 

We continue to hear about the servant who received one talent in verses 24-30, “He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.  Here, you have what is yours.’  But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?  Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance.  But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

You and I were made and fashioned by God, with His talents built into our unique DNA.  Each and every talent that God chose for you and me, was chosen by God, specifically for you and for me.  God gives us these gifts to do great things for Him and to prosper in His presence.  I have come to believe that a gift isn’t fully given, until it’s fully received. 

Take a moment to think about the talents God gave to you.  What talents have you hidden from God and the rest of humanity?  I know I certainly have more than one.  But the question is, “What am I going to do, to bring those buried talents to the surface and make them known, for the glory of God?”  Some of our talents have been buried so long, we’ll have a hard time even remembering them.  Dig deep and not just in one place.  But before you start digging, have a conversation with God.  He’ll lead you back to the talents He gave you and where you buried them.  He would much rather see you use them, than take them away and give them to someone else.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#RendCollective – Build Your Kingdom Here

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”  The evening of New Year’s Day, I was searching for a movie to watch, when I came across “Remember the Goal”.  I started the movie and it opened with this quote, “He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.  And they laughed him to scorn. (Matthew 9:24)”.

 I must say, I’d never watched a movie about running a cross country race before,  but then again, that’s not what the movie was really about.  When I finished the movie, it really left me thinking.  The next day I mentioned the movie to Brian and told him that I wanted to watch it again, and asked if he would like to watch it with me.  He agreed, so a couple days later we watched it together.  I think I got even more out of the movie the second time and I wanted to write down notes about it, to assist me with planning my next four years to retirement.  One of the things I really like about this movie is that, the main character acted in humility, even though there were many opportunities for her to act in prideful ways to defend herself and her actions.  I highly recommend that you watch this movie, not only once, but at least twice.  I pray that it impacts you, as it did me.  I’ve included the link to the official movie trailer, which also includes a link to the full movie at the end of the trailer.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#RememberTheGoal – Official Movie Trailer

https://www.google.com/search?q=movie+remember+the+goal&rlz=1C1OKWM_enUS766US766&oq=&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggAEEUYOzIGCAAQRRg7MgwIARAuGEMYgAQYigUyBggCEEUYOTINCAMQABixAxjJAxiABDINCAQQABiSAxiABBiKBTINCAUQABiSAxiABBiKBTINCAYQABiDARixAxiABDIGCAcQRRg90gEIMjMxNmowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f1fdafcd,vid:FjcgE_neMmU,st:0

😎🐫🎤 Merry Christmas!  Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  During Christmas and as we embark on 2026 it’s a perfect time to focus on family.  In the celebration of Christ’s birth, we get a glimpse of the importance of family.  The Holy family didn’t have a perfect life, but they did love and protect each other with the help and guidance of our Heavenly Father.  God sent His angels to deliver messages and allowed Mary and Joseph to choose the paths they wanted to take.  They were called to leave home for a census.  Had a baby in the process.  Were warned not to return to their home…for years…because someone wanted to kill their new born son.  And that was just the beginning.

Just like the Holy Family, God is in the midst of our daily family lives.  He gives us options, and by the grace of free will, He allows us to make our own choices.  We’ve all made some questionable turns in our lives, that have led us to roads we really didn’t want to be on.  The choices and guidance God’s giving us is not an attempt to control us, but to show us a path back to Him.  The real question is, will I listen to Him?  Will you listen to Him?  Whether we want Him there or not, God is the source of and at the center of our lives and family is important to Him.  He shows us the importance of the family in and through the Holy Trinity. 

God loves us so much and desires for us to love Him in return.  I believe it really hurts our Lord seeing how the family unit is struggling and being torn apart.  Satan is the source of the attack on families.  If we want to have peace in the world, I truly believe it has to start with the rebuilding of solid families.  Without Christ centered families, there will never be peace.  When He knocks on the door to your home, will you invite Him into your family?

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#TheBelongingCo feat. Hope Darst – Mighty Name of Jesus

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Happy Christmas Eve!!!  As I’ve journeyed through Advent, one of the ideas I’ve found myself meditating on is the pure innocence, peace, and love that is brought forth from the infant Jesus to our world at His birth and still today.  Right next to my nativity scene, I have a crucifix.  Looking at Christ’s beaten body on the cross, I still see the innocence, peace, and love that He was at the moment of His birth.  Christ is unchanging, yet by taking the weight of my sin and your sin, He is offering us salvation and the opportunity to change. 

God the Father created us in perfection, but the weight of our sin has beaten us down and deformed us to the point that we are unable to freely and confidently stand as his originally created perfection.  Every time you and I choose to shed the weight of our sin through the sacrament of Reconciliation and more importantly by choosing not to sin, when being tempted by Satan and his demons, we are choosing the innocent, peaceful, unconditional love that God created us for. 

This Christmas season, rejoice in the innocence, peace, love, and sacrifice Christ literally died for, to offer you.  To Christ, you are worth all the suffering He accepted on your behalf.  Praise, rejoice, and glorify our Lord.  You are His child and He is offering you many gifts…although you probably won’t find them under a tree.  You must fully unwrap His gifts, if you ever want to fully receive them.  His gifts can not be fully given, until you fully receive them.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#ChrisTomlin – Indescribable

😎🐫🎤 Hi All. Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  This week I finished reading The True Meaning of Christmas by Michael Patrick Barber.  This book breaks down familiar Christmas carols, giving them new meaning, by presenting Biblical history and language of the time.  I want to share with you a portion of “Away In A Manger”, regarding

Luke 2:1-6

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.  This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.  And Joseph too

went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  While they were there, the time came for her to have her child…”

Michael Patrick Barber shares with us, “What Luke’s presentation highlights is this: the powers that be think they are calling the shots, but God’s plan will ultimately be accomplished.  Jesus is born in the king’s hometown, as is fitting.  The pagan emperor issues his decrees for his purposes.  Unbeknownst to him, however, God uses them to make sure the Messiah is born in the right place.  In other words, even if the world does not know it, the Lord is the real King.”

We don’t have to look very far or hard to find things that we don’t understand or agree with why they are being done.  These things may not make sense to me or you, but nevertheless, they still happen.  I, as I’m sure you have also, experienced this a time or two, or more in 2025.  We may have found ourselves asking, “Why?”  Sometimes we see God’s work shining through faster than others, but it’s all about perspective.  What I think God should be doing is different than what you think God should be doing, and God could have a very different take on it than both of us.

God has a masterful way of turning our doings into His glory.  It would certainly be a lot easier if I would just listen to Him and do as He guides me, but sometimes our best lessons learned are the ones in which we failed to some degree.  But then again, if we learn from our failures, is it truly a failure?  I experienced that last week at work.  I actually thanked my supervisor for not jumping in to correct me, but letting me fall a bit, so that I could gain better perspective. 

Where/How are you seeing and experiencing God working His glory in the midst of our human control?  Praise God and thank Him that your heart and eyes are open to Him.  Keep seeking Him and He will continue to open your eyes.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#MichaelPatrickBarber – The True Meaning of Christmas

#NatKingCole – Away In A Manger

😎🐫🎤 Hi All. Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Prepare…Prepare!!!  Wait…What?!  It’s December!  You bet your sweet Advent it is.  It’s time to even more so prepare.  Not the shopping.  Not the food or decorations.  Make moments of peace for yourself in this busy time, to prepare your mind, heart, and spirit for the nativity of Christ.  I find a dark room, with just the Christmas lights on, the perfect silent and peaceful setting to contemplate and prepare.   

Above all, this Advent season, I pray that you truly experience Christ’s presence and peace.  May His abundance overflow through you, bringing His peace and joy to others.  Amen!  Happy Advent!

This week’s music selection is 1 hour and 22 minutes of instrumental music to help provide you moments of peace for contemplation and preparation.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#DanMusselman – Christmas & Hymns Instrumental Worship

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  We are on the eve of Thanksgiving, my favorite time to gather with family.  Yes, it’s also my favorite time of year to really reflect on all that I am thankful for.  Thanksgiving morning, Brian and I like to start reflecting on our blessings by praying the Mass.  I truly am in awe of the details that God puts into every single moment of our lives.  He cares so much for you and me.  He loves us beyond measure, which is why there is no way we will every be able to realize and count every blessing He bestows upon us.  Every detail He puts into every blessing, is in and of itself a blessing.  Why, why does He take that much time to work through all the details for me, for you?  It comes down to one thing…LOVE!  I know, we can’t even come close to fathoming His love, which is why we so easily disregard it or maybe it’s that we don’t even recognize it.

I encourage you to take some time, really look at the details of your life, your year, your week, your day, this moment.  How can you see God’s love, where you didn’t see it before?  Keep looking…He wants to reveal even more of His love for you, to you.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#SephSchlueter – Counting My Blessings

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  What’s in a name?  My parents chose my names and then I got to add to that when I chose my Confirmation saint.  I was 13 years old when I chose my Confirmation saint.  I can say with 100% confidence that, when I chose my saint, I didn’t know the full weight of my choice.  As I recall, I wanted a saint that sounded kind of cool and the name flowed nicely with the rest of my name.  Although I prefer being called Shelly, my given name is Michelle Ann and my Confirmation name is Helen.  Part of my morning prayers is praying for the assistance of my patron saints, to guide me through what life has in store for me that day.

St. Michael, he is the warrior part of me.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.  Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.  May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls.  Amen.

St. Anne, she is the mature, wise, protector part of me.

Oh God, You bestowed on St. Anne such grace that she was found worthy to become the mother of Mary, who brought forth Your only begotten Son.  Grant that we may be helped by her intercession.  Amen.

St. Helen, she is the part of me that is searching for what God wants to offer me and how to best use what He is offering me, to serve Him and His salvation plan for all His children.

Holy and blessed St. Helen, with the anguish and devotion with which you sought the Cross of Christ, I plead that you give me God’s grace to suffer in patience the labors of this life, so that through them and through your intercession and protection, I will be able to see and carry the cross, which God has placed upon me, so that I can serve Him in this life and enjoy His Glory ever after.  Amen.

I thank God for the many saints He has placed in my life to guide, assist, and protect me, as I journey back to Him.  Amen!

Have you thought about your name?  Do you pray for guidance and assistance from your patron saints?

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#NatalieLayne – All Joy